Brazil and Argentina: The Pantanal and Iguazú Falls

October 2026/2027

This tour will surely rank as one of your neotropical wildlife highlights of your lifetime! Our Brazil and Argentina itinerary will allow you to explore two iconic, fascinating and highly diverse neotropical ecosystems: the Pantanal and the Atlantic Forest, while also including the truly impressive Iguazu Falls. While in the Pantanal we will enjoy an exciting full morning and afternoon boat safari along the Cuiabá River, concentrating on finding the world’s third-largest feline, the elusive and charismatic Jaguar!

Jaguar is a top target of this fantastic tour (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

We will begin our birding and mammal adventure by exploring the Pantanal, a vast, seasonally flooded wetland, renowned for its incredible concentrations of birds at the end of the dry season. We schedule this tour during this particular season, when fish trapped in shrinking pools of water attract hordes of herons, egrets, storks, and other wetland species. The star of these huge concentrations is the massive Jabiru, towering over a diverse collection of smaller South American waterbirds, such as Sunbittern, Plumbeous, Bare-faced, Green, and Buff-necked Ibises, Grey-cowled Wood Rail and Southern Screamer. There is normally a large diversity of raptors around too, with Snail Kite, Black-collared, Savanna and Crane Hawks regularly encountered. Our river trips provide the opportunity to look for species such as Capped Heron, Sungrebe, the striking Agami Heron, Anhinga and a plethora of kingfishers including Green, Amazon, Ringed, American Pygmy and Green-and-rufous Kingfishers. Other target species include Band-tailed Antbird and, with some luck, the seldom-seen Zigzag Heron. These boat trips also provide the best chances to see Endangered (IUCN) Giant (River) Otters, the largest otter in the world, and one of the ‘Big Five’ of South American mammals. This is also the best place on the planet for seeing Jaguar — during the dry season sightings are almost guaranteed. This humongous cat shines brightly as the star of the show on this tour.

Hyacinth Macaws are always a fan-favorite in the Pantanal (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

The Pantanal is not only rich in water-associated avifauna; we will also bird its large grasslands, gallery forests, marshes, and plains for species such as Chotoy, Rusty-backed, and White-lored Spinetails, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Greater Thornbird, Masked Gnatcatcher, Flavescent Warbler, the incredible Helmeted Manakin, White and Pale-crested Woodpeckers and Mato Grosso Antbird.

This region is simply a paradise for parrot-lovers, with standout species including the iconic and threatened Hyacinth Macaw, the largest species of flying parrot in the world, and one of Brazil’s great conservation success stories. Other parrot species likely to be seen in the Pantanal include the likes of Golden-collared Macaw, Blue-crowned, Peach-fronted, White-eyed, Nanday, and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, Orange-winged and Turquoise-fronted Amazons and Scaly-headed Parrot.

In addition to birds, many mammal species call the Pantanal home. It is perhaps South America’s greatest wildlife refuge, and we should enjoy daily sightings of Capybara (the largest rodent in the world), primates such as Black-tailed Marmoset, Bearded Capuchin and Black-and-gold Howler Monkeys. With luck, we might encounter Marsh Deer, Crab-eating Raccoon, South American Coati, Yellow Armadillo, Lowland (Brazilian) Tapir and Giant Anteater.

Piuval Lodge is a great place to see Giant Anteater (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

We finish the tour with a few days birding the magnificent Iguazú Falls. Surrounded by Atlantic Forest and bordering Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, Iguazú Falls is one of the great natural wonders of the world as the Iguazú River tumbles over the edge of the Parana Plateau. It is often considered the world’s most spectacular waterfall. Ever since the Spaniards discovered these falls in the 16^th century, they have not ceased to impress travelers from all over the world, and a visit here can be considered a once-in-a-lifetime trip — certainly one of the wonders of South America. The falls span over 1.6 miles (2.6 kilometers) and are comprised of over 275 distinct falls, forming a breathtaking sight. Perhaps the most impressive is the U-shaped Devil’s Throat which is 250 feet (82 meters) high, 450 feet (150 meters) wide and 2,100 feet (700 meters) long; this is the truly iconic waterfall of the park, immortalized in the iconic 1986 movie The Mission.Even though the waterfalls are shared by Brazil and Argentina, we spend the bulk of the time on the Argentinian side (using a super easy border crossing), which has better birding with better trail facilities.

During this part of the tour, we will have adequate time to admire the waterfalls and look for the area’s special birds. Target species include the impressive Great Dusky Swift, which roost on the waterfall cliffs, Red-rumped Cacique, Toco Toucan, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Blond-crested and Yellow-fronted Woodpeckers, Ochre-collared Piculet, Blue (Swallow-tailed) Manakin, Southern Antpipit, Eared Pygmy Tyrant, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Green-headed Tanager, Streak-capped Antwren, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Greenish Schiffornis, Rufous Gnateater, Dusky-tailed Antbird, and the most-wanted Black-fronted Piping Guan.

A feast for the eyes in the Pantanal (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

Itinerary (13 days/12 nights)

Day 1. Arrival in Cuiabá and transfer to the hotel

After your arrival at Marechal Rondón International Airport (CGB) in Várzea Grande Cuiabá, you will be met by our staff and transferred to your comfortable hotel near to the airport.

Overnight: Hotel Amazon Aeroporto, Cuiabá

Day 2. Transfer to the Pantanal

We will leave the hotel after breakfast to head towards Poconé, the gateway to the Brazilian Pantanal. Along the drive it is possible to find species such as Greater Rhea, Red-legged Seriema, Crested Caracara, Toco Toucan, Cattle Tyrant, and White-tailed Hawk.

We will arrive at Pouzo Alegre Lodge where we will be greeted by our first Pantanal species such as Southern Screamer, Plumbeous and Buff-necked Ibises, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Whistling Heron, Guira Cuckoo, Limpkin, Jabiru, Cocoi Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Crane Hawk, and Brown-chested Martin, among many others. In the evening we will switch to 4×4 vehicles to do our first night safari drive looking for some of the Pantanal’s exciting nocturnal mammals. We will have our first chances for Lowland Tapir (the largest South American mammal), Crab-eating Fox and with luck, Giant Anteater.

Our lodge is more of a rancho hacienda style but is still comfortable and is located away from the road, deep in the woodlands, with night drives offering good chances for mammals. Lowland Tapirs are commonly seen here and with a lot of luck we may see Southern Tamandua, Six-banded Armadillo, Ocelot and even the rare Puma, which is very scarce in the Pantanal and our expectations should be set low. The lodge is great for birding with bird feeders for us to enjoy and some nearby old dry deciduous forest which offers birds such as Planalto Slaty Antshrike and Black-bellied Antwren.

Overnight: Pouzo Alegre Lodge

Greater Rhea may be seen along the road to Poconé.

Day 3. Transfer to Hotel Mato Grosso and birding the Transpantainera Road

We will leave the lodge and head to the famous Transpantainera Road where we will likely find species such as Black-collared Hawk, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Golden-collared Macaw, Monk Parakeet, Amazon, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, and Yellow-chinned Spinetail.

Mato Grosso Hotel is strategically located along the shores of the Sararé River (Pixaim) where we will have our first boat trip hoping to find several species of birds including some classic aquatic species, but our main target is the Zigzag Heron, one of the rarest and poorly-known birds in the neotropics. This area offers you some of the best chances to see this elusive heron. We also have opportunities for Agami Heron, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Anhinga, Band-tailed and Rusty-backed Antbirds, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, and Red-crested Cardinal. We will also have our first chances for Giant (River) Otters. At night we may find Crab-eating Raccoons around the lodge.

Overnight: Hotel Mato Grosso

The elusive Agami Heron may be seen in the Pantanal (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

Day 4. Birding Mato Grosso Hotel and transfer to Porto Joffre

Today we will have an early start to explore the nearby grasslands and gallery forest looking for species such as Chestnut-vented Conebill, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Grey-crested Cachalote, Long-tailed Ground Dove, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Black-backed Water Tyrant, Mato Grosso Antbird, Purplish Jay, Variable Oriole, Wattled Jacana, Snail Kite, and Marsh Deer. After this, we will leave the lodge and drive along a road passing through several ponds which will likely be full of birds as well Yacare Caimans and Capybaras.

We will arrive at Hotel Pantanal Norte in Porto Joffre and will spend the afternoon birding along the Transpantainera where we will search for species such as Least Bittern, Spotted Rail, Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, Nanday Parakeet, Bare-faced Ibis, Maguari Stork, and with some luck, Undulated Tinamou.

Overnight: Hotel Pantanal Norte

Day 5. Jaguar Safari

Today we will explore the Cuiabá River in the morning looking for Jaguars. This is the best place in the world to see Jaguars and we should have very good chances of seeing this mighty animal. On our boat trip we will explore different sectors of the river in search of Jaguars. We also have our best chances of finding Giant (River) Otters on this day. We will return to the lodge for lunch and after a short break, will head back down to the river for our second boat safari, again focusing our efforts on finding Jaguars. During our boat trip it is possible to see Collared and Pied Plovers, Large-billed, Common and Yellow-billed Terns, Black-bellied Whistling Duck and Paraguayan Howler Monkeys.

Overnight Hotel Pantanal Norte

Giant (River) Otter along the Cuiaba River (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

Day 6. Transfer to Piuval Lodge

We will again bird the Transpantainera and spend two nights at Piuval Lodge where we may have time to start looking for some of the targets listed below.

Overnight: Piuval Lodge

Day 7. Piuval Lodge birding

We will spend the full day exploring Pousada Piuval. Our first activity will be a predawn search for Giant Anteater, if we haven’t yet seen it. Later we will explore the expansive areas of this huge property to look for Pale-crested Woodpecker, Greater Thornbird, Chaco Chachalaca, White-throated Piping Guan, Bare-faced Curassow, Picui Ground Dove, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, Sunbittern, Savanna Hawk, Turquoise-fronted Amazon, Red-billed Scythebill, White-lored Spinetail, Orange-backed Troupial, and Greyish Baywing.

Sunbittern is high on the list of the neotropic’s most wanted birds (photo Ricardo Boschetti)

The star of the day is likely to be the Hyacinth Macaw, an icon of the Pantanal and one of the last remaining strongholds for this species. Furthermore, the lodge area offers good chances for Black-fronted Capuchin and Silvery Marmoset.

We will have a break after lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon birding around the lodge. In the evening we will have a second 4×4 safari night drive hoping to encounter more fascinating wildlife.

Overnight: Piuval Lodge

Day 8. Transfer to Cuiabá Airport and flight to Sao Paulo

We will have our last morning birding around the lodge and along Transpantainera before finally heading back to Cuiabá Airport to connect with our flight to Sao Paulo. Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel for the evening.

Overnight: Hampton Inn, Sao Paulo

Day 9. Arrival at Foz do Iguazú Airport and transfer to the Argentinean side

This morning we will head back to Sao Paulo Airport and catch a flight to Foz de Iguazú Airport, in the Brazilian state of Parana. From here we will immediately transfer to Puerto Iguazú on the Argentinean side, in the state of Misiones. Crossing the border is relatively easy, usually taking half an hour by car; the two cities are separated by nine miles (15 km).

The awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls (photo Anne Koke).

We will check in to our comfortable hotel, spend the afternoon birding around the accommodation’s grounds, and visit the hummingbird garden, Jardin de Picaflores. Here we hope to see hummers such as Black Jacobin, Black-throated Mango, Glittering-bellied and Versicolored Emeralds, Scale-throated and Planalto Hermits, White-throated and Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds, Violet-capped Woodnymph, and Gilded Sapphire. Other birds we might see today include Ochre-collared Piculet, Chestnut-bellied and Violaceous Euphonia, Green-headed, Ruby-crowned, Sayaca, Black-goggled and Guira Tanagers, Chestnut-eared Aracari, and Plush-crested Jay.

Overnight: Selva del Laurel Lodge

Day 10. Iguazú Falls and Devil’s Throat

Today we will have an early start to get into Iguazú Park and visit the famous Devil’s Throat, probably the most spectacular point of all the waterfalls. We will have time to walk the lower and upper trail circuits within the Argentinean side of the park, allowing you to see the waterfalls from different angles, with abundant photographic opportunities throughout. One of the main bird highlights of the day will be the impressive Great Dusky Swifts flying around and perching on the vertical cliff faces of the waterfalls.

Overnight: Selva Del Laurel Lodge

The stunning Green-headed Tanager can be found around Iguazu (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

Days 11-12. Exploring Iguazú Park surroundings and Urugua-í Provincial Park

We will spend two full days birding different sectors close by to the Iguazú waterfalls. One site we’ll visit is the Urugua-í Provincial Park, located 63 miles (100 km) from our hotel; here we will look for the Endangered Black-fronted Piping Guan. This bird can be tricky to find in other Atlantic Forest areas but in the southern Misiones state of Argentina, it can be reliably found. Other birds we hope to see include Black-throated Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Green-billed Toucan, and Yellow-fronted, Blond-crested, Lineated and Robust Woodpeckers. Furthermore, we will also look for Black-billed Scythebill, Tufted Antshrike, Rufous-winged Antwren, Short-tailed Antthrush, and several woodcreepers such as White-throated, Olivaceous, Plain-winged and Planalto Woodcreepers.

The list of targets during these two days is long and includes a few skulkers such as White-eyed, Ochre-breasted and Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaners, White-throated Spadebill, Red-crowned Ant Tanager, Eared Pygmy Tyrant, Southern Antpipit, and Plain Antvireo. Other more obvious (and as usual, beautiful) species that we will be on the lookout for include Swallow Tanager, Boat-billed, Social and Three-striped Flycatchers, White-winged Swallow, Pale-breasted and White-necked Thrushes, Riverbank Warbler, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Magpie, Chestnut-headed and White-lined Tanagers, and Blue-naped Chlorophonia.

Overnight: Selva del Laurel Lodge

Blue Manakin is another highlight from the Atlantic Forest (photo Ricardo Boschetti).

Day 13. Transfer to the Brazilian side, visiting the waterfalls and flight to Sao Paulo

Today we will cross the Brazilian border again and (if time permits) have a short visit to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls, where we can view the falls from different angles and perhaps find some birds we might have missed on previous days. You will then be transferred to the Foz de Iguazu Airport to catch a flight back to Sao Paulo where you will connect with your international flight home.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling or other reasons.

BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA: THE PANTANAL AND IGUAZU FALLS

TOUR-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BRAZIL CAN BE READ HERE

TOUR OUTLINE

This tour, taking in the Pantanal and Iguazu Falls, is simply outstanding, both in terms of quality and diversity of species, and is one of our most popular Neotropical tours. Brazil’s Pantanal is a unique destination which has become mandatory in recent years due to the high probability of seeing Jaguar and other unique wildlife. The itinerary is designed to provide you with the best experience of the Pantanal and the Atlantic Forest. We will bird the Atlantic Forest around Iguazu Falls in Argentina, which protects the area’s largest tract of Atlantic Forest. Here, you will be able to experience the mighty waterfalls while enjoying the many birds on offer.

ARRIVAL INFORMATION

Please e-mail us (or contact us by another means if preferred) before you book any flights, as the information shown here is just an initial guide. Our tour will start in the city of Cuiaba at Marechal Rondon domestic airport (CGB), which can be reached with a direct flight from São Paulo, Brazil. You might wish to consult your travel agent to book your most convenient flight (and please contact us if you need any guidance). Your tour leader will wait for you (with a small board with the Birding Ecotours logo) at Cuiaba airport and will then transfer you to your hotel. Please be aware that most international flights arrive in Cuiaba in the afternoon, so we don’t have any birding activities planned for Day 1. In case you arrive on an early flight, you will be transferred to the hotel but may have to wait until check-in is available. For an early check-in, you might be charged extra directly by the hotel; this cost is excluded from the Birding Ecotours tour price.

Please remember to keep your luggage tags, as they are required to exit the terminal at Cuiaba airport.

When filling out the customs declaration form, please use the address below for the hotel:

Hotel Aeroporto, Av. João Ponce de Arruda, 860 – Centro Norte, Várzea Grande – MT, 78110-375, Brazil

Please note: When booking flights, be sure your international flight arrives at the Guarulhos airport (GRU) in São Paulo and your domestic flight to Cuiaba (CGB) leaves from the same airport. You don’t need to change airport. If you book through a travel agent, please be sure your connection to Cuiaba leaves from the same Guarulhos airport.

DEPARTURE INFORMATION

Our tour will end in the city of Foz de Iguazu, with a domestic flight from Foz de Iguazu to São Paulo, where participants can catch international flights or spend an additional night in São Paulo between tours.  Upon completion of the tour, your tour leader will transfer you to the Foz de Iguazu airport, from where you will fly back to Guarulhos airport in São Paulo. These domestic flights are included in the tour price.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND PACE

We categorize this trip as easy to moderate, the latter because of hot weather only. Most of the birding consists of walking along flat and smooth roads, although will include some uneven terrain and a few forest trails. At Iguazu we need to walk just over two miles (3.5 kilometers) from the parking lot to our birding spot and back.

Keep in mind that we need to be awake very early in the mornings, and pre-dawn starts are in order each day. We normally spend the whole morning out birding in the field, returning to the lodge for lunch, and then providing opportunities for a little rest before continuing our birding in the afternoon. Your guide will sometimes invite you to look for owls and other wildlife at night, but this is an optional activity that you can skip if you feel tired. Some people prefer to rest, skipping birding in the afternoon; this can be done at lodges where we are staying more than one night.

We have some boat trips scheduled in the Pantanal to explore rivers, so participants need to be able to get in and out of boats and be able to deal with a few hours in boats for most days while in the Pantanal.

We have a few 4×4 open-top safari drives scheduled, to explore the Pantanal grasslands and savannas. Participants need to be able to get up into the vehicle with or without help. Both boat and 4×4 safaris are optional but important, as river tours are the only way to approach certain wildlife.

Brazil is a big country, and the tour includes some lengthy drives along the Pantanal. We move from lodge to lodge, having a maximum of two nights at each lodge.  These drives are part of the birding schedule since birds and wildlife are found all along the Pantanal Road. We drive for a maximum of two to four hours between lodges.

This trip may be difficult for people with back, walking or balance problems, or for those who are not used to the early starts involved.

MEALS

During Pantanal leg of this tour most of our meals will be buffet style. These buffets serve fresh meals with meat, rice, beans, pasta, fresh and cooked vegetables, soups, etc. At Iguazu, depending on lodging, the meals available may have two or three different kinds of menus, always with a vegetarian option. When vegetarian food is available during the tour, it may unfortunately be bland. We do encourage meal providers to be more creative in their menus, but often the vegetarian food selection is only adequate, and not amazing. If you have any food restrictions, please check with us before booking the tour as other restrictions may be difficult to provide.

WEATHER

Cuiaba and the Pantanal experience hot weather, with an average of 95-104°F (35-40°C), with added humidity, during October (when we run this tour). Even though it is not the rainy season, we may experience a rainy morning or afternoon while visiting the Pantanal. In the Atlantic Forest around Iguazu, the temperature is normally around 86°F (30°C), with added humidity. The area can be affected by rainstorms at any time of the year and our schedule could be affected by rain and fog.

MONEY AND ATMS

ATM machines are available in São Paulo, Cuiaba and Foz de Iguazu airports, please keep in mind that these are the only ATMs available on the itinerary. Unfortunately, there will not be time to look for ATMs while on tour, so please be sure to plan your cash needs based on ATM availability.

Please note that international bank cards might have a limit of US$200 per transaction, or even a US$200 limit per day. This depends on your bank, so check with them in advance before your tour, alternatively, you may bring cash to avoid withdrawals.

LAUNDRY

Laundry service is available at the lodges (Piuval, Mato Grosso and Hotel Pantanal Norte, as well as at Iguazu). We recommend you bring clothes that dry easily, if you do your own laundry while on tour. Laundry fees are not included in the tour price.

Download Pantanal and Iguazu Tour-specific Information

Download Brazil General Information